Enrollment
1,589
Michigan · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Okemos, MI
Michigan Connections Academy
Federal NCES profile for Michigan Connections Academy, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 260096908139Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 21
📋 Attendance 41
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Michigan Connections Academy earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan.
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 21.8:1
- large classes for Michigan
- 60.2%
- free-lunch eligible
- 1,589
- students enrolled
Michigan Connections Academy has class sizes larger than 88% of Michigan schools. Computed live against every Michigan school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Michigan Connections Academy · Michigan
NCES ID 260096908139 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
73.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.8:1
vs 17.5:1 Michigan avg
+25% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
60.2%
vs 54.3% Michigan avg
+11% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Michigan Connections Academy compares with Michigan and U.S. medians
What stands out at Michigan Connections Academy
Michigan Connections Academy is a higher-need, large charter combined-grade school in Okemos, Michigan, enrolling 1,589 students.
Class loads run heavy: 21.8:1 is larger than about 88% of Michigan schools and 25% above the 17.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 60.2% lands close to the Michigan typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in Michigan, bigger than 99% of state schools at 1,589 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 3,375 scored Michigan schools.
Among 42 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Michigan schools statewide, it ranks #1, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (59%) and African American (20%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 60/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 397 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 23.5% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Michigan Connections Academy spends $9,234 per pupil, 32% below the Michigan average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Michigan Connections Academy is a single-school charter district, so Michigan Connections Academy operates independently rather than alongside district-mates. At 1,589 students, it is also among the largest single-school districts in Michigan, well beyond the enrollment of a typical standalone charter.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Michigan Connections Academy compares
Michigan Connections Academy on the metrics families compare, against Michigan and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Michigan | Michigan avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.8:1 | ▲ 25% | 17.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 60.2% | ▲ 11% | 54.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,589 | top 1% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.8:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
1,589
Bigger than 97% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
60.2%
free-lunch eligible
- 11% above the Michigan average of 54.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
21.8:1
students per teacher
- 25% above state mean
Top 88% in Michigan - lower ratio than 12% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
23.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$9,234
per pupil, district-wide
- below Michigan avg of $13,507
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 397 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 59.0%
African American 20.1%
Hispanic or Latino 9.2%
Two or More 8.4%
Asian 3.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: White at 59.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 59.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 59.5, Michigan Connections Academy is more mixed than the Michigan school average of 36.2.
Programs
AP courses offered 12
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Michigan Connections Academy, which includes Michigan Connections Academy.
$9,234
Per student
-32%
vs Michigan
Avg $13,507
-44%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 0.2%
State 86.2%
Federal 13.7%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Michigan, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,589 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Michigan Connections Academy's federal record.
- Compare Michigan Connections Academy against another school. Compare schools
- Michigan Connections Academy's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Michigan Connections Academy
How many students attend Michigan Connections Academy?
Michigan Connections Academy has 1,589 students enrolled. It is a public school in Okemos, MI.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Michigan Connections Academy?
The student-teacher ratio at Michigan Connections Academy is 21.8:1, which is 25% higher than the Michigan average of 17.5:1 and 39% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Michigan Connections Academy?
60.2% of students at Michigan Connections Academy are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Michigan average of 54.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Michigan Connections Academy?
The largest demographic group at Michigan Connections Academy is White at 59.0% of enrollment, in Okemos, MI. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 59.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Michigan Connections Academy?
Michigan Connections Academy has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
Is Michigan Connections Academy a good school?
Michigan Connections Academy earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 88% of Michigan schools. It is also one of the largest schools in Michigan. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Michigan Connections Academy?
None; Michigan Connections Academy is a single-school charter district, and Michigan Connections Academy is its only campus.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.